'Sexy' Nappy Adverts Condemned By Parents

An advert for nappy brand Huggies has come under fire for what some viewers consider to be overly sexualised shots of toddlers in nappies.

A video for a new ad campaign for the brand in Israel, called 'The Most Important Item In The Wardrobe' shows toddlers dancing around and striking poses in fashionable tops and denim-print nappies.

For many people, it would appear nothing more than silly fun - but some parents saw something more sinister in the images, complaining that it was disturbing and inappropriate to see young children imitating 'sexy' adult models.

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It wasn't only the video that some found objectionable. A series of billboards appearing in conjunction with the televised advert seemed to particularly invoke the ire of Israeli parents.

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One image shows a young girl standing with her legs apart and her hands planted on her hips, while another shows her turned away and looking at the viewer over her shoulder - stances which some complain makes her seem more like an adult model than a child.

The controversy appears to have started when a concerned dad uploaded a photo which showed the billboard on one side of the street, while another advert across the road showed model Bar Rafaeli striking a similar pose.

"Look how the diaper model is standing in the same position, with the same tempting look," he complained.

The backlash against the campaign quickly spread across social media in Israel, with some pushing for Huggies to withdraw the 'inappropriate' advertisements. The company's Facebook page was bombarded with complaints about the supposed sexualisation of the child models.

"Your campaign shows babies in sexual, adult and provocative poses... It's disgusting," said one commenter. Another user posted an image from the campaign with the caption: 'a toddler with a red light district pose'.

The nappy giant - which ceased production in the UK in 2012 - was quick to respond, insisting that the adverts were nothing more than 'a celebration of fun and colour'.
Many parents appeared to be on their side, with messages on the company's Facebook page agreeing that the ads were totally innocent, and that the offended parties were... well, full of crap.